Drop-front carton having tear strip in cover flaps



Apu-ii 25, 1967 K. T. BUTTERY 3,315,874

DROP-FRONT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP N COVER FLAPS Filed Nov. 18, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet l JZ f?? JOJ i Y 1/@22 01" jfgzzfze/ 2152/54 eff April 25,1967 K. TV BUTTERY 3,315,874r

DROP-FRONT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP IN COVER FLAPS Filed Nov. 18, 1964 5Sheets-Sheet 2 April 25, 1967 K. T, BUTTl-:RY

DROP-FRONT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP IN COVER FLAPS 5 Sheets-Sheet I5Filed NOV. 18, 1964 Q H f.

United States Patent 3,315,874 DROP-FRUNT CARTON HAVING TEAR STRIP 1NCOVER FLAPS Kenneth T. lluttery, Kalamazoo, Mieli., assigner, by mesneassignments, to Brown Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 18,1964, Ser. No. 412,106 16 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) The present inventionrelates to cartons, and is more particularly concerned with a cartonhaving a tear strip provided in its cover flaps and a front which may bedropped after the tear strip is removed, which carton lmay be readilyerected from an integral cut and scored blank and sealed shut by meansof automatic machinery, and to a novel method for gluing the carton.

Cartons having a vso-called flip top cover hingedly connected to theedge of the rear panel, which may be erected with the cover in sealedcondition and which may be readily opened by the removal of a tearstrip, have become exceedingly popular, particularly as containers forfood items such as ice cream. Once the tear strip is removed, the covermaybe opened for access to some or all of the contents, and may bereclosed for further sto-rage until the contents have been completelyconsumed. Cartons of the type described which have been available in theprior art, although satisfactory in use, have the disadvantage that theyare difficult to construct and seal on automatic machinery.

Prior art cartons are generally provided with an outer front wall memberintegral with the cover of the carton, having its own flaps extending atthe ends thereof. A tear strip is provided as an integral unit andextends from the end of one outer front wall llap, across the outerfront wall, and to the end of the opposite outer front wall flap. Such astructure is ditlicult to construct into a carton from an integral blankand requires expensive machinery for the purposes of erection andsealing.

In copending application S.N. 308,108, filed Sept. 1l, 1963, entitledCarton Having Tear Strip in Cover Flaps, a carton is disclosed andclaimed which is formed from an integral blank, the cover of the cartonhaving three cover flaps, each of the cover flaps having a separate tearstrip formed therein comprised of spaced apart substantially parallelfracture lines. Two of the cover flaps are provided with terminalconnecting aps for aiiixing to the adjacent cover flap. When adhesivemateriall is provided in the proper areas, and the cover flaps glued inplace, a sealed carton may be ,formed having a continuous tear stripextending the entire length of the Icover aps, and wherein the entiretear strip may be removed with a continuous tearing motion. Because `ofthe particular type of construction, the carton may be readily erected,filled, and sealed with relatively simple and inexpensive machinery.

Although the carton of the above-identified application is admirablysuited for packaging products such as ice cream and frozen foods, it issomewhat less admirably suited for packaging such products as pies andother baked goods, which goods ymay be `more conveniently re moved fromthe front of the carton rather than from the top. l

It is an object of the present invention to provide a topopeningend-filling carton which may be sealed and subsequently opened .by theremoval of a tear strip. It is another object to lprovide such a cartonwhich may be readily reclosed when it is desired to store unconsumedcontents. It is a further object to provide a carton of the typedescribed which may be formed from an integral cut and scored blank. `Itis a still further object to provide a carton of the type describedwhich can be readily erected and subsequently sealed by means ofrelatively simple and inexpensive machinery. llt is an additional objectto provide a carton of the type described having a drop-front or foldingdown lfront structure. It is still another 4object to provide a novelmethod for gluing and assembling such cartons. foregoing and additionalobjects will beeomemore fully apparent hereinafter.

The invention in its preferred embodiment is illustrated by theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the cut and scored blank from which the cartonis formed, viewed from the inside.

FIG. 2 is a perspective yview of the assembled and sealed carton.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton with the tear stripcompletely removed, and with the cover partially open and the front infolded down or dropped position; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cut and scored integral blank, viewed fromthe outside, wherein selected areas have a glue-resist coating appliedthereto.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a betterunderstanding of the invention, wherein all `of the parts are numberedand wherein the same num-bers are used to refer to corresponding partsthroughout.

In a preferred form, the carton of the invention is constructed from anintegral blank as illustrated in FIG. 1. The structure comprises a rearwall member 1, a bottom member 2, and a front wall member 3 hingedlyconnected together at score lines. The rear wall member l and the frontwall :member 3 have liaps 4 and 5 hingedly connected at their ends. Apair of inner end or side wall flaps 8 are hingedly connected at theends or sides of the bottom 2. A cover 9 is hingedly connected to therear wall 1 at a score line. Cover ap members comprising outer end wallmembers 1li and 11 and an outer front wall member 12 are hingedlyconnected to the cover 9. Each cover flap is divided into three areas bya pair of spaced apart substantially parallel fracture scores 13, 14 and15. The areas com-prise glue strips 16, 17 and 18, tear strips 19, 2d,21 and 22, and coverl flaps 23, 24 and 25. The cover llap member 12 isprovided with terminal extension flaps 26 and 27 having fracture scores28 and 29 positioned as extensions of one of the fracture scores 14,dividing the terminal extensions into cover ilap extensions 32 and 33,and tear strip lextensions 34 and 35. The glue strips 16 and 18 are cuttransversely to provide glue strip segments 16a and 18a at the forwardends of the glue strips. The length of the segments 16a and 18a from thescore lines about which they hinge to their ends should be substantiallythe same as the length of the flaps 5. The outer front wall member 12 iscut medially to divide the tear strip formed lby the fracture scores 14into the two tear strips Ztl and 21, and to define tabs 38 and 39 at theends of the tear strips. Glue is applied to the blank, as shown bystippled shading in FIG. 1, at the glue strips 16, 17 and 1S, 16a and18a, and at glue areas 30 and 31.

In an alternative embodiment, instead of providing the outer front wallmember with terminal extensions at each end, as shown in the drawings,one of the outer end wall members may be provided with a terminalextension which, when the carton is erected, is overlapped by andadhesively aixed to the adjacent end of Ithe outer front wall member.The outer front wall member has a terminal extension at its other endwhich is overlapped by and adhered to the adjacent end of the otherouter end wall flap. As a result, a single integral tear strip is formedwhen the carton is erected which may be removed in a single tearingmotion. In removing the tear strip of this embodiment, it is preferablethat the tearing operation be carried out in such a direction that eachterminal extension is below and lifts the end of the tear Theaccomplishment of the strip of the wall member to which it is adhered,thus er1- suring that the adhered parts will not separate during removalof the tear strip.

Although the tear strips 19, Ztl, 2l and L22 may be provided with auniform width which is the same width as that of the terminal extensiontear strips 3d and 35, in order to compensate for imperfection ofregistry during assembly of the carton, it is preferred that the tearstrips 19 and 22 be wider at their engaging end than the tear stripextensions 34 and 35. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings,the fracture scores at the forward ends of the tear strips I9 and 22diverge to enlarge the tear strip ends while the terminal extension tearstrips 34 and 3S are provided with a narrower width than the tear strips20 and 2l. As a `result of this configuration, the enlarged tear stripends completely cover the tear strip extensions 34 and 35 even thoughthe respective parts are not in perfect registry when the carton isassembled.

The fracture scores dening the tear strips may be formed by slits of anysuitable configuration. However, in a preferred embodiment the slits areprovided in the form of a V, each slit having a leg divergent withrespect to the center of the tear strip in the direction of tear,terminating in a leg substantially parallel to the direction of tear anddefining the outer boundary of the tear strip, the slit configurationson opposite sides of the tear strip preferably being staggered. Tearstrips having fracture scores of this configuration tear readily andcleanly, and the line of tear is confined to its intended course. Thisis particularly important at the crease of the cover flaps where theyare adhered to the tear strips of the terminal extensions of adjacentcover flaps. In the embodiment shown in the drawings the preferredconfiguration is provided only in the fracture scores of the cover flapsproper, since this generally sufces. However, if desired the preferredconfiguration may also be used to provide the tear strips in theterminal extensions.

In assembling the carton, the front wall member 3 is first folded ov`er.The cover 9 is then folded over and the glue strip 17 glued to the frontwall member 3. This step may be performed by the carton manufacturer,and the cartons are `generally shipped in this folded form to thepackager. To erect the carton further for filling, the folded carton issquared up as on a conventional squaring machine. One end is then closedby folding in sequence the inner end wall ap 8, the flaps 4 and 5, andthe ap 26 or 27. The outer end wall member 10 or 11 is then folded overand glued to the previously folded flaps. The carton may then be filledat the end remaining open. After filling, the open end is folded andglued in a manner similar to that described with regard to the firstend. As a result of the method outlined the carton is sealed, and twointegral tear strips are formed, one including tear strip segments 19and 20 and the extension 34. The other tear strip comprises tear stripsegments 21 and 22 adhesively connected by the extension 3S. Theassembled carton is shown in FIG. 2.

To open the carton the tabs 38 and 39 are grasped and both of the tearstrips removed. The cover may now be lifted open, and subsequentlyreclosed. Additionally, the front wall member and its flaps may bedropped to facilitate removal of the carton contents from the front ofthe carton without the necessity for lifting the contents as shown inFIG. 3. This is made possible since the tear strips 16 and 18 arenotched, slit, or cut to provide the two severed or severable segments16a and 18a, respectively. The slitting or cutting may be complete orpartial as by scoring. Consequently, when the tear strips are removed,the segments 16a and 18a become separated from the cover flaps properand remain attached to the flaps 5 which may then be unfolded or droppedtogether with the front wall member 3 to form an opening through whichthe contents of the carton may be readily discharged.

As a further feature of the invention, instead of applying glueselectively to the areas shown in FIG. 1, a glueresist coating may beapplied to selected areas of surfaces of the carton which will come incontact engagement with the glue applied to the glue aps, but whichareas must remain free of adhesion for proper functioning of the carton.As a result, the glue flaps may be given general coatings of glue. Whenthe aps are glued to the carton, even though the flaps have generalapplications of glue, those areas engaging the glue-resist coatedsurfaces will not adhere thereto. This expedient enables a simplerprocess and simpler apparatus to be used for applying glue to the aps.

FIG. 4 illustrates the outside surface of an integral blank similar tothat of FIG. l, wherein glue-resist coatings have been applied toselected areas 414i, 4l, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46. When the carton iserected and sealed, areas 4d, di, and 42 are positioned so that theywill be in contact engagement with the panel 23 and the tear strip 19,and flaps 32 and 34 of the lateral extension 26. Areas d3, Lid, and l5are positioned so that they will be in contact engagement with panel 25,tear strip 22, and flaps T13 and 3S of lateral extension 27. Area d6 ofthe front wall 3 is positioned to be in contact engagement with panel21tand tear strips 2d and 21 when the carton is assembled. As a resultof the application of the selected glue-resist areas, glue or any otheradhesive may be applied to the entire panels li), lll and 12. Normaladhesion will occur only between the glue applied areas and thoseportions of engaging panels which do not have a glue-resist coating.Those areas which do have a glue-resist coating remain free of adhesionwith their respective contact-engaging panels. Further, alternatively,the carton can be constructed of thermoplastic-adhesive laminated sheetmaterial and the necessary adnesive provided by back-cutting those areaswhich will be opposed to the normally glue coated areas with numerousslits or openings, and the necessary seal effected lby extrudingadhesive through the said openings by application of heat or pressure orboth.

The carton and method of the present invention have a number ofadvantages over prior art cartons of a similar type. The carton may bereadily erected and closed by means of simple machinery. This is madepossible by the structure provided in the cover and cover flap members.The tear strip may be provided in individual panels which are adheredtogether during erection of the carton to form integral tear strips. Theprovision for a fold-down or drop-front facilitates the removal ofparticular types of contents such as baked goods from the carton.Moreover, the novel method of applying a glueresist coating to certainselected areas of the carton prior to erection permits utilization ofsimpler procedures for applying the adhesive to the flaps.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exactdetails of construction, operation, or exact materials or em-bodimentsshown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will beapparent tO one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to belimited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

ll. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide abottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rearwall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to saidrear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover apscomprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, saidcover flaps having terminal extensions afxed to an adjacent cover flap,said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with apair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores defining atear strip, said cover aps being secured to said inner end wall membersand to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracturescores, the tear strips of said cover flaps being secured together inalignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, the margins ofsaid outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scoresbeing divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forwardportion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of saidinner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, saidinner front wall member and its end aps may -be unfolded to permit thecontents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open frontthereof.

2. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide abottom member 'having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rearwall member, an inner front wall mem-ber, and end aps attached to saidrear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flapscomprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, one ofsaid outer end wall members having a terminal extension aflixed to anend of said outer front wall member adjacent thereto and the other endof said front wall member having a terminal extension atiixed to theouter end wall member adjacent thereto, said cover flaps and saidterminal extensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apartsubstantially parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said coverflaps `being secured to said inner end wall members and to said innerfront wall member ybelow the lower of said fracture scores, the tearstrips of said cover aps being secured together in alignment by the tearstrips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wallmembers below the lower of said fracture scores being dividedtransversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion beingof substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner frontwall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner frontwall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents ofthe carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

3. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide abottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rearwall member, an inner front wall mem-ber, and end flaps attached to saidrear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover apscomprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, saidouter front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, saidcover aps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pairof spacedapart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tearstrip, said cover flaps being secured to said inner end wall members andto said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracture scores,the tear strips of said outer end wall members overlapping and beingsecured in alignment to the tear strips of said terminal extensions,said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medial openingdividing said tear strip into two segments with a graspable portion atthe end of each segment, said segments cooperating with the tear stripsof adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tearstrips, and the margins of said outer end wall members lbelow the lowerof said fracture scores `being divided transversely into two segments,the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the samelength as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby whensaid tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its endflaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removedthrough the resulting open front thereof.

4. A carton according to claim 3 wherein the ends of the tear strips ofsaid outer end wall members have a width greater than that of the tearstrips of said terminal extensions to which they are secured.

5. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide abottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rearwall member, an inner front wall member, and end lflaps attached to saidrear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover apscomprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, saidouter front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, saidcover flaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a pairof spacedapart substantially parallel fracture scores defining a tearstrip, said cover flaps being secured to -said inner end wall membersand to said inner front wall member below the lower of said fracturescores the tear strips of said outer end wall members overlapping andbeing secured in alignment to the tear strips of said terminalextensions, said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medialopening dividing said tear strip into two segments and defining a tab atthe end of each segment, said segments cooperating with the tear stri-psof adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tearstrips, said fracture scores comprising `a plurality of V-shaped slitseach comprising a leg divergent with respect to the center of the tearstrip in the direction of tear and terminating in a leg substantiallyparallel to the direction of tear and defining the outer boundary ofsaid tear strip, said V-shaped slits being oriented so that each of saidintegral tear strips may be removed by tearing from said medial openingto the opposite end of said tear strip, `and the margins of said outerend wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being dividedtransversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion beingof substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner frontwall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner frontwall member and its end :flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents ofthe carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

6. An integral blank suitably cut and scored for forming into a cartoncomprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attachedthereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flapsattached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedlyconnected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided withcover flaps comprising outer end wall mem-bers and an outer front wallmember, said cover flaps having terminal extensions adapted to beaffixed to an adjacent cover flap, said cover flaps and said terminalextensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantiallyparallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, said cover flaps beingadapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said innerfront wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tearstrips `of said cover flaps being adapted to be secured together inalignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, the margins ofsaid outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scoresbeing divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forwardportion being of substantially the same length as the end flaps of saidinner front wall member, whereby when said carton is erected `and saidtear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end tiapsmay be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removedthrough the yresulting open front thereof.

7. An integral blank suitably cu-t and scored for forming into a cartoncomprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attachedthereto, a rear wall member, an inner Jrront wall member, and end flapsattached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedlyconnected to the upper edge of said rear wall member an-d provided withcover flaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wallmember, one of said Vouter end wall members having a terminal extensionadapted to be afiixed to an end of said outer front wall member adjacentthereto and the other end of said front wall member having a terminalextension adapted to be affixed to the outer end wall member adjacentthereto, said cover fiaps and said terminal extensions each beingprovided with a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracturescores defining a tear strip, said cover fiaps being adapted to besecured to said inner end wall members and to said inner front wallmember below the lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of saidcover flaps being adapted to be secured together in alignment by thetear strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of said outer endwall members below the lower of said fracture scores being dividedtransversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion beingof substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner frontwall member, whereby when said carton is erected and said tear strip isremoved, said inner front `wall member and its end flaps may be unfoldedto permit the contents of the carton to be removed through the resultingopen front thereof.

fl. An integral blank suitably cut and scored for forming into a cartoncomprising a bottom member having inner end wall members lattachedthereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flapsattached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedlyconnected to the upper edge of said rear wall member and provided withcover fiaps comprising outer end wall members and an outer front wallmember, said outer front wall member having a terminal extension at eachend, said cover flaps and said terminal extensions each being providedwith a pair of spaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scoresdefining a tear strip, said cover flaps being adapted to be secured tosaid inner end wall members and to said inner front wall member belowthe lower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said outer endwall members being adapted to overlap and to be secured in alignment tothe tear strips of said terminal extensions, said outer front wallmember being cut to provide a medial opening dividing said tear stripinto two segments with a graspable portion at the end of each segment,said segments being adapted to cooperate with the tear strips ofadjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integral tearstrips, and the margins of said outer end wall members below the lowerof said fracture scores being divided transversely into two segments,the segment at the forward portion being of substantially the samelength as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, whereby whensaid carton is erected and said tear strip is removed, said inner frontwall member and its end fiaps may be unfolded to permit the contents ofthe carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

9. An integral blank according to claim 8 wherein the ends yof the tearstrips of said outer end wall members have a width greater than that ofthe tear strips of said terminal extensions to which they are adapted tobe secured.

10. An integral blank suitably out and scored for forming into a cartoncomprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attachedthereto, a rear wall member, an inner front wall member, and end fiapsattached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cove-r adapted tobe hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall member andprovided with cover flaps comprising outer end wall members and an outerfront wall member, said outer front wall member having a terminalextension at each end, said outer end wall members and said terminalextensions each being provided with a pair of spaced-apartsubstantial-ly parallel fracture scores defining a tear strip, saidcover flaps being adapted to be secured to said inner end wall membersand to said inner front wall `member below the lower of said fracturescores, the tear strips of said cover flaps being adapted to overlap andbe secured in alignment to the tear strips of said terminal extensions,said outer front wall member being cut to provide a medial openingdividing said tear strip into two segments and defining a tab at the endof each segment, said segments being adapted to cooperate with the tearstrips of adjacent outer end wall members to provide a pair of integraltear strips, said fracture scores comprising a plurality of V-shapedslits each comprising a leg `divergent 4with respect to the center ofthe tear strip in the direction of tear and terminating in a legsubstantially parallel to the direction of tear and defining the outerboundary of said tear strip, said V-shaped slits being oriented so thateach of said integral tear strips may be removed by tearing from saidmedial opening to the opposite end of said tear strip, and the marginsof said outer end wall members below the lower of said fracture scoresbeing divided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forwardportion being of substantiallythe same length as the end aps of saidinner front wall member, whereby when said carton is erected and saidtear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its end aps maybe unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removed throughthe resulting open front thereof.

ll. An integral blank suitably Icrut and scored for forming into acarton comprising a bottom member having inner end wall members attachedthereto, a rear `wall member, an inner front wall member, and end flapsattached to said rear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedlyconnected to the upper edge of said rear lwall member and provided withcover fiaps comprising outer end wal-l members and an outer front wallmember, said cover flaps having terminal extensions adapted to beaffixed to an adjacent cover flap, said cover flaps and said terminalextensions each being provided with a pair of spacedapart substantiallyIparallel fracture scores `defining `a tear strip, said cover aps beingadapted to be secured to said inner end wall members and to said innerfront wall member below the lower of said fracture scores, the tearstrips of said cover flaps ybeing adapted to be secured together inalignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions to form anintegral tear strip, the margins of said outer end wall members belowthe lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into twosegments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially thesame length as the end flaps of said inner front 'wall member, saidcover flaps being completely coated on one side with an adhesive, andselected areas of said carton flaps adapt ed to be positioned in contactengagement with said adhesive-covered fiaps and which are to remain freeof adhesion thereto having a glue-resist coating `provided thereon,whereby when said carton is erected, said cover flaps are secured tosaid inner end wall member and to said inner front wall member below thelower of said fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover aps aresecured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminal eX-tensions, and when said tear strip is removed, said inner front wallmember and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of thecarton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

12. A method for erecting a carton from an integral blank suitably cutand scored for forming into a carton comprising a bottom member havinginner end wall members attached thereto, a rear wall member, an innerfront wall member, and end fiaps attached to said rear and inner frontwall members, a cover hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rearwall member and provided with cover fiaps comprising outer end wallmembers and an outer front wall member, said cover flaps having terminalextensions adapted to be affixed to an adjacent cover flap, said coverflaps and said terminal extensions each being provided with a `pair ofspaced-apart substantially parallel fracture scores `defining a tearstrip, said cover flaps being adapted to be secured to said inner endwall members and to said inner front wall member below the llower ofsaid fracture scores, the tear strips of said cover flaps being adaptedto be secured together in alignment by the tear strips of said terminalextensions to form an integral tear strip, the margins of said outer endwall members below the lower of said fracture scores being dividedtransversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion beingof substantially the same length as the end fiaps '0f Said inner frontwall member; said method comprising coating said cover fla-ps completelyon one side with an adhesive, coating selected areas of said cartonflaps adapted to be positioned in contact engagement with saidadhesive-covered flaps and which are tto remain free of adhesion theretowith a glue-resist coating securing said cover flaps to said inner endwall member and to said inner front wall member below the lower of saidfracture scores, and securing the tear strips of said cover flaps inalignment by the tear strips of said terminal extensions, whereby whensaid tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and its endflaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to be removedthrough the resulting open front thereof.

13. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide abottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rearwall member, an inner front wall member, and end tiaps attached to saidrear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flapscomprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, saidcover flaps having terminal extensions aiixed to an adjacent cover flap,said cover flaps each being provided with a Ipair of spaced-apartsubstantially parallel fracturing scores defining a tear strip and saidterminal extensions each being provided with means defining a striphingedly connected to one of said tear strips, said cover aps beingsecured to said end flaps and said inner front wall member below thelower of said fracturing scores, and the tear strips of said cover apsbeing adhesively secured together in alignment by the strips of saidterminal extensions, the margins of said outer end wall members belowthe lower of said fracture scores being divided transversely into twosegments, the segment at the forward portion being of substantially thesame length as the end flaps of said inner front wall member, wherebywhen said tear strip is removed, said inner front wall member and itsend flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents of the carton to beremoved through the resulting open front thereof.

14. A carton formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide abottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rearwall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to saidrear and inner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall member and provided with cover flapscomprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, one ofsaid outer end wall members having a terminal extension atiixed to anend of said outer front wall member adjacent thereto and the other endof said front wall member having a terminal extension aiiixed to theouter end wall member adjacent thereto, said cover flaps each beingprovided with a pair of spacedapart substantially parallel fracturingscores defining a tear strip and said terminal extensions each beingprovided with means defining a strip hingedly connected to one of saidtear strips, said cover flaps being secured to said end flaps and saidinner front wall member below the lower of said fracturing scores, andthe tear strips of said cover flaps being adhesively secured together inalignment by the strips of said terminal extensions, the margins of saidouter end wall members below the lower of said fracture scores beingdivided transversely into two segments, the segment at the forwardportion being of substantially the same -length as the end iiaps of saidinner front wall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, saidinner front wall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit thecontents of the carton to be removed through the resulting open frontthereof.

15. A carton formed of a-n integral blank cut and scored to provide abottom member having inner end wall members attached thereto, a rea-rwall member, an inner front wall member, and end flaps attached to saidrear and nner front wall members, a cover hingedly connected to theupper edge of said yrear wall member and provided with cover iapscomprising outer end wall members and an outer front wall member, saidouter front wall member having a terminal extension at each end, saidcover iaps each being provided with a pair of spaced-apart substantiallyparallel fracturing scores defining a tear strip and said terminalextensions each being provided with means defining a strip hingedlyconnected to one of said tear strips, said cover flaps being secured tosaid end flaps and said inner front wall member below the lower of saidfracturing scores, and the tear strips of said outer end wall membersoverlapping and being adhesively secured in alignment to the strips ofsaid terminal extensions, said outer front wall member being cut toprovide a medial opening dividing said tear strip into two segments with`a graspable portion at the end of each segment, said segmentscooperating with the tear strips of adjacent outer end wall members toprovide a pair of integral tear strips, and the margins of said outerend wall members below the lower of said fracture scores being dividedtransversely into two segments, the segment at the forward portion beingof substantially the same length as the end flaps of said inner frontwall member, whereby when said tear strip is removed, said inner frontwall member and its end flaps may be unfolded to permit the contents ofthe carton to be removed through the resulting open front thereof.

16. A carton according to claim 15 wherein the ends of the tear stripsof said outer end wall members have a width greater than that of thestrips to which they are secured.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,162,556 6/1939Lagaard 229-51 3,131,851 5/1964 Pace 229-51 3,168,975 2/ 1965 Buttery etal 229-51 3,197,114 7/1965 Holmes 229-51 3,197,115 7/1965 Peter 229-51JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. D. M. BOCKENEK, Examiner,

1. A CARTON FORMED OF AN INTEGRAL BLANK CUT AND SCORED TO PROVIDE ABOTTOM MEMBER HAVING INNER END WALL MEMBERS ATTACHED THERETO, A REARWALL MEMBER, AN INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER, AND END FLAPS ATTACHED TO SAIDREAR AND INNER FRONT WALL MEMBERS, A COVER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THEUPPER EDGE OF SAID REAR WALL MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH COVER FLAPSCOMPRISING OUTER END WALL MEMBERS AND AN OUTER FRONT WALL MEMBER, SAIDCOVER FLAPS HAVING TERMINAL EXTENSIONS AFFIXED TO AN ADJACENT COVERFLAP, SAID COVER FLAPS AND SAID TERMINAL EXTENSIONS EACH BEING PROVIDEDWITH A PAIR OF SPACED-APART SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FRACTURE SCORESDEFINING A TEAR STRIP, SAID COVER FLAPS BEING SECURED TO SAID INNER ENDWALL MEMBERS AND TO SAID INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER BELOW THE LOWER OF SAIDFRACTURE SCORES, THE TEAR STRIPS OF SAID COVER FLAPS BEING SECUREDTOGETHER IN ALIGNMENT BY THE TEAR STRIPS OF SAID TERMINAL EXTENSIONS,THE MARGINS OF SAID OUTER END WALL MEMBERS BELOW THE LOWER OF SAIDFRACTURE SCORES BEING DIVIDED TRANSVERSELY INTO TWO SEGMENTS, THESEGMENT AT THE FORWARD PORTION BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME LENGTH ASTHE END FLAPS OF SAID INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER, WHEREBY WHEN SAID TEARSTRIP IS REMOVED, SAID INNER FRONT WALL MEMBER AND ITS END FLAPS MAY BEUNFOLDED TO PERMIT THE CONTENTS OF THE CARTON TO BE REMOVED THROUGH THERESULTING OPEN FRONT THEREOF.